Aasiyah Abdulsalam Is Using Patented Robots To Produce Human-Made Wigs With No Lace And Has Raised $6.2M As A Result – AfroTech
Aasiyah Abdulsalam is leveraging robotics to solve pain points in the wig industry.
The London native, raised in Ireland by parents from Nigeria, developed scalp psoriasis at 12 years old, according to Inc. She began wearing wigs because she was losing hair “excessively,” she said. By default, she became acquainted with hair brokers, stylists, and specialty product manufacturers. They were useful when she was creating her own wigs or getting them installed, the outlet notes.
When she became a student at the University of Leicester, her fascination for the wig industry grew. She even moved to South Korea to work at a wig factory for six months to support her dissertation, which centered on studying the “manufacturing geopolitical ties” of a consumer product.
“I became obsessed,” Abdulsalam explained to Inc.
The Wig Fix
The dissertation’s outcome later inspired the creation of The Wig Fix in 2020, a transparent, patented, hypoallergenic silicone wig grip that can secure a wig with or without hair and is designed for all skin tones. She used AutoCAD for its design and had it 3D printed with hard plastic before creating the official prototype with the assistance of a medical silicone manufacturer, Inc. reports.
The Wig Fix currently retails for $29 through her Brooklyn, NY-based startup, The Renatural. It was a success, leading the company to generate $3 million in revenue within its first three years, with 80,000 units sold globally, according to a press release.
Signature Collection
It didn’t stop there for Abdulsalam. She later launched The Signature Collection, which consists of wigs with a “first-of-its-kind bamboo polymer hybrid” to replace the lace, per Inc.
According to the company website, its wigs feature hyperrealistic scalp presentation, 100% virgin human hair, and a proprietary base that is three times as thin as lace for a more natural finish.
“At The Renatural, wigs are not accessories – they are crafted as extensions of self. With uncompromising attention to detail, we use the finest materials and advanced technologies to create pieces that move, feel, and endure like natural hair. For our customer, luxury is discreet; hair should never stand apart, but blend seamlessly into a polished whole, much like tailoring or fine jewelry. A Renatural wig is designed to be invisible and unforgettable, the quiet completion of a beautifully understated look,” Abdulsalam said in the press release.
The signature collection carries the following four human-hair wigs, all made with, “No lace. No glue. No compromise”: Gentle Wave, Kinky Straight, Deep Curl, and Bob. The wigs range from $900 to $1,500, according to The Renatural website.
Robotics
What’s more, the wigs are manufactured by patented robotics in as little as 45 minutes, according to Glossy.
“[The wig industry] has relied on wherever it can find cheaper labor to do that monotonous, repetitive and, in my opinion, quite highly skilled work,” Abdulsalam told the outlet. “The monopolies and oligopolies in this industry have access to lots and lots of cheap labor, who have been doing this for years on end, and that’s the way they’ve grown. And they kind of beat out any other innovation.”
Funding
Abdulsalam is taking a stake in an industry expected to reach $9.3 billion in 2031, per Glossy, and her efforts as a founder have been bolstered by a $2 million raise in 2024 in a pre-seed round led by deep tech fund Humba Ventures. Abdulsalam then received $4.2 million for her venture in a seed round led by Watchfire Ventures in August 2025 to support the launch of the collection, with participation from Mark Cuban and Ingeborg Investment, according to the news release.
Abdulsalam has also received backing from Topicals co-founder Olamide Olowe, who invested in the company in 2023 and is an adviser to Abdulsalam, according to Inc.
“The Renatural is setting a new gold standard for the wig industry – not just with breakthrough technology, but with an unwavering commitment to beauty, innovation, and inclusivity,” Olowe said in the press release. “What Aasiyah has created with the Signature Collection is nothing short of transformational: a product that feels deeply personal, yet universally groundbreaking. I’m proud to support a founder and brand that are reshaping how we define luxury in hair, and in doing so, opening up new possibilities for self-expression and confidence.”
Abdulsalam has also received funding through pitch competitions, earning 65,000 in non-dilutive funding from Harvard Business School and $100,000 from Pharrell Williams and Felecia Hatcher’s Black Ambition Prize in 2023, according to Inc.
Looking ahead, Abdulsalam intends to invest in additional machinery to scale up wig production to meet demand.
There are currently 40,000 people on The Renatural’s waitlist, Inc notes.
